


Rubble and Dust

by TheJokersEnigma



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: F/M, don't know what else to say, first attempt at tony stark fan fiction, iron man 3 -ish
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-26 16:17:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13861440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheJokersEnigma/pseuds/TheJokersEnigma
Summary: Ok, I have no idea why I wrote this… I didn’t know what I was in the mood to write and for some reason I started watching Ironman 3 and I’ve always wanted to write some fan fiction about the individual avengers so *shrug*.I got this idea from where Tony’s Malibu house got destroyed





	Rubble and Dust

You pushed yet another pile of rubble and dust into the large heap of rubble that towered next to you, the brush of the broom bristles on the remaining marble floor, and the sound of stones on stones, ringing out into the open air around you. A cold breeze from the sea only a few metres away, whisked the hair around your shoulders and - if it wasn’t for the manual labour – you were shiver from it.

You paused in your actions for a moment to catch your breath and straighten your aching back. There was cry of gulls on the air and the whistling of the wind as it wound through the remaining standing infrastructure of the once-beach-house, but that was it.

Until you heard it. Footsteps on marble? You were the only one who was supposed to be on site today.

You turned from the view of the sea open and never-ending in front of you, to the broken doorway behind you. The footsteps were getting closer now and you cleared you throat loudly so that whoever it was knew you were there. You hoped it was a would-be thief they might turn and run, but the steps didn’t falter, getting louder and louder.

Then Tony Stark himself stepped through wreckage of his own house.

“Mr Stark!” You exclaimed startled, and he lifted a hand in greeting, forcing a smile. “Uh - c-can I help you, sir?” You asked, trying to think what you were supposed to do now. Should you leave?

“Just looking for something.” He said vaguely, walking past you without any further acknowledgement of your presence to the opposite side of the room.

“In all of this?” You asked, gesturing around at the mess that still needed clear.

“Uh – yeah.” He said nodding, completely unfazed. “Didn’t say it was gonna be easy.” He muttered, picking up a piece of rock and then tossing it onto the rest of debris.

You scowled at this unhelpfulness, but you were too intrigued by what the billionaire was seeking in the rubble. “What exactly are you hoping could have survived this?” You questioned in disbelief, stuffing your hands in your pockets and kicking a small stray rock that sat by your foot, sending it skipping along the floor and out the gaping hole in the wall, down the cliff, and towards the water below.

Stark didn’t answer.

“It looks like whatever got you this time did a pretty good job.” You observed, looking at your surroundings with a renewed sense of the damage, trying to imagine what could have possibly caused this.

“Yeah, amazing what a series of AGM 114’s’ll do.” The playboy murmured, not looking up as he examined the wreckage.

You frowned at the floor, “Sure…” You muttered, having no idea what he meant, and instead trying to find another stone to kick. “Got too enthusiastic at a party?” You teased lightly, not expecting the man to be listening.

“Something like that.” Stark answered much to your surprise and you glance over at him.

“Well,” You said, talking at his back, “I’d suggest you stop blowing your houses up, but then I’d be out of a job.”

“And I’d get bored.” He said, straightening up now and glancing around the entire cavernous hole of the room that had probably once been one his lounge areas.

“Well – uh - good luck searching,” You said, “- hope you find… whatever it is.” You mumbled, shaking your head, at the hopelessness of the situation. With that, you turned your back on the man, resuming your sweeping, though you couldn’t help feeling self-conscious with Stark only a few feet away from you. Eventually you decided the best thing to do was leave him to it and begin work on a different part of the house.

That worked well, until he found you again.

“Hey – lady –“ Tony Stark called, leaning on the wall and into the ‘kitchen’ you were now in.

“[Y/N].” You told him.

“[Y/N].” He nodded. “Can I – uh – borrow that for a sec?” He pointed at the broom in your hand.

“My broom?” You frowned in confusion, “What for?” You asked, though you were already moving towards him, holding out the broom.

“Leverage.” He explained, taking it from you.

“You’re trying to bride someone with a broom?” You smirked.

“No,” He quirked a half smile at you, “I’m gonna use it as a lever - but thanks for the insight into how your head works.”

You smirked at his back and he left the room again. You stood there for a moment, thinking it through, but then you followed after him – you were too curious, and he had taken your broom after all – what else were you supposed to do?

You walked back to the previous room, pausing in the ‘doorway’, watching as Stark walked over to the opposite side of the room and worked the handle edge of the broom under a large piece of what looked like ceiling. He then positioned the rest of the broom to rest over a large stone and moved to the brush end, pushing down on it with his entire weight.

The large piece of rubble shifted slightly but didn’t look like it was going to go very far.

“Do you need a hand?” You suddenly called from the doorway before you thought to stop yourself.

“What?” Stark panted out from the effort, snapping his head up, suddenly noticing you. “Uh – no I’ve – I’ve got it.” He struggled out, pushing down heavily on the brush again, wiggling the broom to try to shift the large piece of debris somehow.

You folded your arms and lent against the remaining piece of wall next to you, frowning at the man. “You’re not one of those guys who think women are weak and pathetic, are you?”

“Huh?” Tony gasped, finally releasing his makeshift lever. “Ah – no.” He panted “No - I’m actually a big – uh – big fan – of – uh – women’s – you know,” he waved his hand, “rights.” He finished lamely.

“Uh huh.” You muttered with a knowing smirk, watching him squirm in front of you. “Well, thank you for that insight into your head.” You teased, repeating his earlier comment and stepping towards him, grabbing for the broom handle.

You leant over it, pushing your weight on it. Again, the piece of ceiling moved ever so slightly, but no more than when Tony had tried. You straightened back up again, the broom relaxing back to its previous position. “You know,” You scowled, unimpressed, at the man stood by you, “I asked if you wanted help, not if I could do it on my own.”

“Right…” Stark nodded, with a bashful smirk, ducking back onto the other side of the handle.

“Ready?” You asked opposite him.

“Yep – on your mark.”

You nodded. “One, two, three.” You both leant your whole weight on the end of the broom, bouncing slightly to edge the piece of rubble up, eventually managing to shift it up a decent distance before you both then paused, realising your mistake.

“Uh,” Stark gasped. “You didn’t – ah – happen to have a plan about what to – ah – do next, did you?”

“Uh – no.” You huffed, and you let out a breathless laugh at the situation. Tony glance up at you and then grinned, joining in your wheezing laughter, both of you stuck there chuckling together as you exerted all your effort to keep the large slab of ceiling up.

“Ok.” You finally panted, feeling the wooden handle of the broom bending under the pressure. “We – ah - need a plan.”

“Uh huh – yeah – ok.” Tony puffed, “Go put your –“

Without warning, the broom handle suddenly snapped under the two of you, and you both fell into a heap on the dusty marble floor, landing uncomfortably on one broken end of the broom.

“Ow…” You moaned, clenching your eyes closed at where you had painfully landed on the edge of the brush.

“My exact thoughts.” The man next to you groaned. You were suddenly aware that – though you hadn’t exactly landed on him - Tony Stark was incredibly close you - your arm touching his back.

That contact was enough to make you blush hotly and you didn’t waste time pushing yourself up to your feet, away from the situation that had you feeling so flustered.

You kept your gaze away from the handsome billionaire next to you, instead focusing on your broom that now lay in pieces on the floor.

“You know, you owe me a new broom.” You teased, relieved when your voice didn’t wobble or break.

Tony - who was currently on his hands and knees - glanced over to also look at the remnants of the broom. “Right, yeah.” He groaned. “Sorry ‘bout that.”

You had been brushing off some dust from your top, but now looked back down at him in concern. “Are you alright?” You frowned.

“I’m fine.” Stark groaned, falling back into a seated position. “Just, this thing,” He grunted, knocking on the arc reactor embedded in his chest, “Is not particularly comfortable to land on and – ah –“ He gasped, grabbing his shoulder as he moved it, “- still have a few resounding injuries from the….” He gestured with his good arm around the ruined room. “…partying.”

“Right.” You nodded with a half-smile at his joke. “Need a hand?” You offered.

“I’m good.” Tony dismissed, and you wondered why that felt like it had hurt you. You stepped back to give him room, swinging your arms, feeling awkward and useless as Tony pushed himself to his feet. You couldn’t help wondering if this man was annoyed with you somehow and that’s why he didn’t want your help. You imagined he probably got sick of people’s attention and you suddenly felt bad for following him around and even talking to him.

“Well, I’ll – uh – leave you to it.” You smirked weakly, gesturing at rubble.

“And you are going where?” Stark asked, glancing over at you.

“Back to – uh - work?” You frowned, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the ‘kitchen’.

“I don’t know if you realised this, but we’re not finished here yet.” He said, nodding down at the so far immovable piece of ceiling.

“And I don’t know if you realise this, sir, but this isn’t actually part of my job.” You sassed back with a smirk, folding your arms again.

“No…” The man agreed, “But you don’t have a broom anymore, so you can’t actually do your work…” He reasoned, tilting his head with a knowing half-smile and a look that said ‘try-to-agrue-with-that.

“Ok, sure…” You agreed, “But ‘I don’t have broom anymore’,” You repeated, “So we can’t move that thing.” You nodded at the rubble.

“As to that,” Tony said, raising a finger and waggling it in the air as he thought. “I think I have an idea.” He chewed on his cheek in thought for a minute, then was striding out of the room, leaving you frowning in his wake.

You waited where you stood, assuming he would eventually come back, and could just about hear a car door slam through the blustery winds around you. Next thing you knew, Stark was back with a briefcase in hand.

He barely glanced at you as made his way back to the stubborn piece of debris, kneeling among the broken pieces of broom and placing his briefcase on the floor in front of him. He put in the combination and opened the case. From where you were stood, you couldn’t make out what was in the briefcase, but Stark seemed to pull something out and then pushed himself back to his feet, now with one of the gauntlets of the iron man suit clicking into place over his hand and lower arm.

You watched, amazed as Tony flexed his fingers experimentally within the titanium casing.

“Right, let’s give this a go.” He muttered to himself, now bending down to hook his new metal hand under the large slab of rubble and, almost effortlessly, lifted the large piece of ceiling up and flipped it over onto the wreckage next to it, revealing a small hole in the floor beneath it.

“Why didn’t you do that in the first place?!” You cried in disbelief.

“Well, too be honest,” He confessed, now turning to you, “I wasn’t sure I had brought the case with me,” He shrugged, “and I couldn’t be bothered to go and check.”

“So, you broke my broom for no reason whatsoever?!”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say no reason…” He grinned shamelessly. You weren’t completely sure what he meant by that, so you just continued to frown at him, your arms crossed, unimpressed.

“Ok.” He said raising his hands in surrender, at your glare. “Sorry again - I promised I’d replace the broom and I will.” He reassured you.

“Well, thanks,” You muttered, “but that was the only thing I planned to do today…” You said glancing around, trying to work out if there was anything you could do - you hadn’t brought any other equipment with you.

“Guess that means you get the rest of the day off.” Stark shrugged shamelessly, copying your action of glancing around the wreckage.

“Wahoo.” You said less than enthusiastically. You were working these extra hours for a reason, you didn’t really want time off. At least you’d earn something for today though – not as much as you hopped, but something extra. At least you had a story to tell now.

“How ‘bout I drop you home.” Stark offered.

That caught you by surprise. “Really?”

“Hey! If you don’t want to…” He shrugged, putting the ironman gauntlet back in its case.

“It would beat the bus.” You admitted with a frown.

“Done deal then.” Stark said, snapping the briefcase shut and already heading out of the room.

“Wait, now?” You asked in surprise.

He paused, glancing around, “Well… yeah.”

“What about the hole you just spent all that effort to uncover?” You said, gesturing back at it.

“Ah, don’t worry,” He dismissed it with a causal wave of his hand, “There’s nothing there.”

“Wait, what?” You asked in disbelief, jogging after the billionaire who had continued out of the room, heading for the remains of the driveway. Stark didn’t say anything, and you studied his emotionless profile as you walked next to him. “You’re an odd man, do you know that?” You asked him.

“I’ve been told.” He nodded, not bothering to look at you, keeping his eyes ahead.

You followed him out the door to the sports car that sat parked out front. He threw the briefcase containing his suit into the trunk and before you knew it you were being driven home by none other than Tony Stark in a car that probably cost more than you earned in twenty years.

The journey was relatively quiet, your nerves weirdly getting the better of you now you were out of your comfort zone, and you spent most of your time just out of the window at the familiar scenery that flew past.

“This it?” Stark eventually asked you, pulling up outside your flat.

“Uh – yeah – thanks again.” You muttered, your voice slightly croaky from your silence.

“No problem.” He dismissed breezily.

You bit your lip at this and nodded. “Yeah - well – uh – bye.” You muttered awkwardly, going to climb out of the car.

“See you around.” Stark’s voice came from behind you and you paused, bending down to look back into the car. “Maybe next time you ought to come by and see one of my still-standing buildings.”

You smirked at the kind, but empty offer. “Goodbye Mr Stark.”

You thought you heard him mutter ‘Goodbye [Y/N]’, but you couldn't be sure, already closing the car door. You stepped up onto the pavement, watching as the sports car now revved its way down the street and out of sight.

Tony Stark didn’t seem to be the jerk everyone made him out to be. Odd, yes, but not a jerk.

You were, however, pretty sure you were going to have to order yourself a new broom.

You highly doubted he would remember.

**Author's Note:**

> I’d love to know what people think about it and if Tony is ooc at all!  
> I don't know whether to write more or leave it as a oneshot


End file.
